Osteopathy Awareness Week Started in Australia
In our continued work to increase awareness of the osteopathic profession and its contribution to global healthcare Osteopathy Australia is promoting Osteopathy Awareness Week, 19-25 April 2015. This is the perfect time to find out how an osteopath can help you and encourage healthy habits at work and home.
Using skilled evaluation, diagnosis and a wide range of hands-on techniques, osteopaths can identify important types of dysfunction in your body. Osteopathic treatment uses techniques such as stretching and massage for general treatment of the soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) along with mobilisation of specific joints and soft tissues.
In Australia, osteopaths are government registered practitioners who complete a minimum of five years’ university training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, general medical diagnosis and osteopathic techniques.
Osteopaths are primary healthcare practitioners and are trained to recognise conditions that require medical referral. They are also trained to perform standard medical examinations of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems.
Osteopaths know how easily some of these injuries can be prevented. Prevention means less time off work and more time exercising and enjoying the benefits of general good health. It is essential for Australians to be aware of how injuries can happen and what can be done to prevent them.
In the office: osteopaths suggest selecting a suitable chair for your desk, taking regular breaks from looking at the computer screen and moving around the office periodically. Without these precautions, people may experience back and neck pain, eyestrain, headache pain or general stress and tension.
Around the house: simple tasks such as lifting grocery shopping or carrying young children can easily cause injury. Osteopaths advise bending your knees as you lift heavy items and avoiding sudden, jerky movements as these risk damaging the lower back or straining muscles.
Exercise: to avoid muscle strain osteopaths recommend performing warm up and cool down stretches before and after exercise. This is especially important during the colder weather as the risk of injury becomes greater.
Osteopathy is safe for all age groups and osteopaths treat not only the specific problem but also provide advice on exercise, stress reduction, posture and breathing. Osteopaths encourage individuals to proactively prevent injuries and ailments, which in the long term leads to better overall health and less time and money spent on treatment.
Osteopathy Awareness Week 19-25 April 2015
www.osteopathy.org.au
Irina Aristova Osteopathy Australia
